Strain 77, Zombie Apocalypse!
by maggieevans2
Summary: James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter battle a super-virus and hoards of infectious zombies! Can the Marauders survive a zombie apocalypse? Rated for violence and language.


**A/N: Set in the muggle world with 20ish year old marauders. Also, I took alot of license with my explanation of the virus and how it works, so you sciencey people out there should know I didn't do any research; I just used a family of virus that I already knew a little about...But no zombie scenerio is plausible anyway, so yay fanfiction!**

**Oh, and sorry for any OCness, but I simply _loved_ the idea of James and Remus as mad scientists! Also, the name of the virus is completely arbitrary and is in no way a reference to any known strain. :) **

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><p>James potter sat on a wheelie chair in his research lab. He was dressed in a powder blue quarantine suit, complete with rubber gloves and face mask. Lily had always jokingly called it his 'spacesuit'. The lab walls were white, as was his table. It extended the length of the wall and there were chairs for other researchers. But today, it was just him and his partner.<p>

He searched through his latest viral samples to examine the one that was his personal project. He found it marked with red tape. His hands shook slightly as he removed it from its case. James slid the sample under the microscope and fixed his eyes to the lens.

He gasped slightly at the sight before him. The virus was multiplying before his eyes! The filoviral organisms were choking out the space like a carpet, their fibers resembling a squirming pack of worms. They had completely enveloped the bait bacteria, bursting it like an over-inflated water balloon. It was the most rampant form of life he had ever seen!

Remus, who was sitting a few feet away, turned slightly at James's sharp intake of breath.

"What is it, James?" he asked from behind his mask. His amber eyes revealed his slight frown. Remus rolled over in his chair to sit by his friend's side.

James shifted to the side in order to give him a better look. Remus glanced over at his friend's stunned face before lowering his gaze to the eyepiece. James saw his jaw clench as he realized what he was looking at. He withdrew looking horrified.

"But James," he said, voice trembling, "that's not possible! We just planted this sample an hour ago!"

James didn't reply. He was numb all over. How could something like this happen? "There _has _to be some mistake, James! Not even a filovirus should be able to multiply this fast! We'll have to redo the experiment immediately." He reached his hand over to take the box of samples but James grabbed his wrist, his hand visibly shaking. His hazel eyes met Remus's panicked amber ones.

"No Remus," he said softly, "we did the experiment right. I checked and double-checked it. Everything is recorded in our notes."

The reality of the situation dawned on them. James fixed his eyes on the blue linoleum floor tiles, refusing to look up.

Remus jumped up and began pacing. He strode back and forth, annoyed by James's calmness. He spoke quickly, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. "Okay, nothing has happened yet. We have everything isolated. We can burn our notes; it's not too late right? The sample is contained now, right...? RIGHT? Damn it James!" his voice rose to a shout as his black-haired partner remained silent. He started as Remus placed his hand on his partner's shoulders, looking him straight in the eye. James couldn't hold his gaze more that a moment and he dropped his eyes. He flinched as Remus's fingers dug into his shoulders. "We created this fucking thing! This _monster_! Are you telling me that we couldn't control it? James! What did you do?"

James's face was a mask of anguish as he pointed to an apparently empty patch of wall. Remus released James and immediately crossed the room. "In here?" he asked, placing his hand on the wall. James nodded and Remus pushed hard. A secret door opened up to reveal a sterile closet hidden to everyone but James and Remus.

The room they entered was about the size of the average garage. The walls were white here too, but they were covered with a number of sterile silver instruments. Four silver operating tables also lined the walls. However one was in the middle of the room. On it was a very morbid sight; a body covered in a white sheet, and curiously enough, _strapped down_.

They crossed silently to the body. Remus held his breath as James threw back the sheet. A grotesque sight opened before them. A human corpse, grey and bloody, greeted them. It _appeared_ to be a corpse anyway.

"James..." Remus began, looking as though he were struggling to restrain himself. "You said that the virus would stay contained within the lab, you said-"

"Yes Remus," James interrupted, "I did say that, but I just- I just couldn't resist testing it! You said we created this together! So we're in this together and that means you have my back, right?"

Remus was angry and frightened, yes, but he was not surprised or horrified. Human experimentation was nothing new to them, having built the room for their very illegal experiments.

"Remus," he continued, "you can't be a hypocrite; you've done more human experiments than I've done regular ones. But that aside, you're my brother..."

"Yes, James, I know. And you're right, we're in this together and I support you one-hundred percent. I just didn't think you would risk releasing a virus we only just created and knew nothing about. That's irresponsible even for you." he paused, looking thoughtfully into James's anguished face. "But what's done is done and now we have to dispose of this biohazard before anyone finds out what _we've_ done."

Upon hearing that emphasis, James smiled over at his friend, thankful for the unconditional support.

"So," Remus said, relaxing sightly, "what were the effects of the virus?"

James hesitated. "Well...see, this is where things get complicated..."

"Go on," Remus urged, growing excited.

"Well, I injected the virus, which I named Strain 77, by the way. Cool right?" Remus nodded in spite of himself. "Anyway," James continued, "I observed the usual results of a filoviral infection; massive hemorrhaging, fever, etcetera. But..." He hesitated. "Well the victim, when he was supposed to die, well..._didn't_. I couldn't believe it after the amount of blood loss. Suddenly he began shrieking and clawing at me! I had to restrain and sedate him!"

Remus's frown deepened as he took this in. "What are you trying to say James? That the victim was like a zombie or whatever?" He laughed at his joke but stopped immediatly when he saw James's face.

"See, that's the thing," James continued, regaining his usual confidence. "I studied the brain activity and found none. Yet, the body was _breathing; _just like we are now! But now that we've seen the progress of this thing under the microscope, I can have a guess as to why it would have such an effect on the brain. Remember how the bait cell was hijacked and then exploded?"

Remus nodded.

"Well, I think that the virus could have taken over the brain in a similar manner, while causing it to fall apart within. The virus then could remain living without having to kill the host and potentially die itself! We wanted to create a super-virus that could survive even the death of its host and we did, Remus, we di-"

But he was interrupted by a snarl from behind as the body began struggling at its bands. Still foggy from the sedatives, it did not seem to notice the two men standing nearby. It tore the restrints to pieces as it slammed into the wall. It repeated this process until there was a hole big enough in the wall to escape.

"NO!" they shouted in unison.

"What have we done?" Remus sank against the wall. "It'll infect everyone now."

"Sirius! Peter!" shouted James, "we have to find them and catch this thing before it can kill anyone!"

The two men hurried into the lab frantically searching for the proto-vaccine, unsure if it would work.

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><p><strong>I'll update soon, promise!<strong>


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